Following on from here
New Munster chat thread folks. warning deserved there. https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=109477571#post109477571
That last paragraph is just asking for a Jimmy Gopperth scenario...
I think Ulster made it clear as soon as Healy announced he was leaving. That they wanted Flannery to stay. I’m sure Munster were well aware that this was a possibility from that point.
It would appear though that Munster need to sign a 10 and a center. I wonder would Nucifora sign off on both being NIQ.
Are some people thinking/suggesting that Flannery walked into the Ulster offices in the last day or so and put pen to paper and then Ulster went and announced it today as one big signing because that's the only reasonable explanation there is if you really think the cat was put amongst the pigeons here.
I don't recall anyone here claiming that Munster weren't in the hunt for him but as I said in a previous post, aside from a mention of it 3 months ago there really hasn't been much more said on it until it was confirmed he was staying in Ulster.
Tbh, with the 10 and centre situation, not sure it's likely but someone like Frawley would be ideal.
centre maybe since by definition there are double the amount of options available, 10 is too key a position for the irfu to allow a non-qualified player into any of the provinces barring a short-term deal
anyway, its looking ever more likely that the munster team will be relatively full strength (as relative as that is) during the rwc so its the perfect time to give someone like butler a chance surrounded by more experienced players - the only slight caveat is that it would be with a 3rd or 4th choice 9
Nucifora might be loathe to give an NIQ spot to 10 post-Sexton alright, but I think it’s possible we’ll see an NIQ for either 10 or centre.
Given Nankivell, is already signed and Carbery and Crowley are both likely to continue to be in with a shout of Ireland selection, it think it might make sense. Particularly if he can cover centre as well.
Once he’s at a decent level but Carbery and Crowley are still preferred in the 23 for the big games, I think it makes sense.
cant see any province getting a 10 who cant play (or potentially play) for ireland unless its an absolute emergency a la lealiifano
With the 2 senior 10’s in and around the Ireland reckoning, I think it’s a good candidate for an NIQ option.
Especially considering we have, I think, the lowest number of NIQ players of any province at the moment.
Would mean we can cast a much wider net.
And / or they may promote Tony Butler early.
It's not a big deal, but it does mean one fewer IQ out-half who might have filled a red jersey is available.
Maybe they have someone lined up and it's not a big deal.
Agreed but there will be an issue if Crowley (likely) goes to the World Cup and Sexton gets injured (also likely) and Carberry is called up.
With Munster looking like they will need to go after 1 or 2 front rows, along with possibly needing a senior centre, will they be allowed to sign an out half aswell?
Flannery hasn’t done anything at Ulster and I’ve no idea if an academy out half would be up to the task but 10 could be an issue next season for you, particularly during the WC and international windows. But for all I know about the Munster academy, there could be a gem waiting in the wings.
I see Exeter's Sean O'Brien has his contract expiring this season.
With Exeter having just signed a centre he could become available and would be useful depth.
So Munster have to go back to the drawing board for a 3rd choice OH, and are missing out on a player who has 3 pro starts at 10 to his name, who they previously let go.
It’s really not that big a deal.
Okay...so then isn't Syd's argument logical? Like how long a period do people think there is between when it became clear he was going to stay with Ulster to it actually getting fleshed out, signed & announced?
As I said above, the 3-year contract is the biggest telltale that there was some meaningful level of competition for him here, so it's not unreasonable to assume his agent has been going back and forth between the two clubs over recent weeks / months to see what the best deal he could wrangle out of them.
I don't disagree that it is isn't a big problem for Munster having not been able to persuade him to return, but it definitely does look like at some point in recent weeks Munster have had to go back to the drawing board and dust off Plan B.
That to me seems to be the essence of what Syd was saying.
But I don’t think anyone’s saying Munster didn’t make an approach to him.
Nah, it's not an issue in that he doesn't look to be a difference making player, and if Munster can get approval to bring in an experienced NIQ OH they're definitely better off than trying to see if they can get more out of Flannery than they did previously or than Ulster did.
But the 3 year deal Ulster gave him definitely points to him having other options, so I doubt it's unreasonable to suggest Munster made an approach to him.
I don’t think it’d have been strange if he returned but I also don’t think it’s a massive issue that he hasn’t.
He’s used the situation to get himself a 3 year deal. Good for him.
It was hardly ever unreasonable that he (Flannery) might have returned - when he left the sense was it was because was #4 in a queue, with two guys broadly the same age directly ahead of him. He left on a one year deal, hadn't gotten on well for Ulster and had barely featured. Simultaneously, Munster were losing Ben Healy, so I don't think anyone would have thought it strange if he'd returned, and it was being reported by credible sources like Murray Kinsella.
It looks like Ian Madigan has probably made the decision to retire / leave Ulster in interim and that may have shifted Flannery's thinking.
By my calculations, assuming we lose both matches in South Africa we need the following in R17 and R18 for a top 7 finish and Champions Cup qualification
R17
Benetton to beat Sharks (Although Sharks beating Benetton wouldn't be too bad as both are only 1 point apart in the table)
Zebre to beat Bulls
Cardiff to beat Connacht
R18
Stormers to beat Benneton
Leinster to beat Bulls
Glasgow to Beat Connacht
Ospreys beating Cardiff if Cardiff beat Connacht
Of course 2 wins would leave us comfortably in 5th and possibly even 4th or 3rd
Ah stop, there's no need to be snarky
It got mentioned a few months ago and hardly a squeak since then.
Look, if you want to believe this all changed suddenly this week then work away.
Mod: Thread banned for 2 weeks.
"sarcastic and condescending" ??
there is absolutely no post from me in here today that is either sarcastic or condescending and if you think there is then you need to check your moderation gauge! A piece of advice for you, dont try to gauge tone from text. action me if i use unacceptable words or phrases, but dont try to assume what 'tone' im posting in as you are way off the mark.
why is it in the munster thread alone that any piece of conversation by someone who supports another province is treated with such paranoia and preciousness?? I posted a piece of news, with a perfectly reasonable, commonly used, idiom ... but yet the pile on comes, and the threats are made?
Mod: But you didn’t say “more work to do” and went on to be sarcastic and condescending. Final warning on this.
of course nothing was confirmed, the confirmation came today.
ah listen ye lads are so precious on this thread that you think any comment at all on munster is some kind of an insult. Its not anything insulting to say that a player who was rumoured to be joining munster isnt joining and that leaves munster with more work to do.
if you think that is an insult then theres no helping ye.
I’ve posted here a number of times that, while Flannery was rumoured, nothing was confirmed.
And you’ll find it it was a Leinster fan yesterday saying he was moving.
This is the Munster thread, Syd, posters are you going to have positive outlook on all things Munster. If you want to continue posting here, your tone needs to change.
yeah cos all of you lads had already confirmed it here already.. oh wait??
so maybe youd all like to post here as to who exactly is coming in to replace healy? seeing as youre all in the know
and in that 3 months the rumour that Flannery was returning was getting colder and colder and colder and colder
Hardly cat among the pigeons stuff to hear it confirmed today
Flannery has 3 starts at 10 in his pro career.
I think the cats having a nap, tbh.
and do you not think agents were sounding out munster for a possible move??
here we already have:
healy announced hes moving to edinburgh 3 months ago
at the same time its reported that munster are closing in on re-signing Flannery. i respect Murray Kinsella a a journalist and i would hope he would have a secondary source of a piece of news than an agents rumour.
3 months later flannery is announced as extending contract for 3 years with ulster
so its very possible sometime over the last 3 months Flannery chose to stay at ulster, leaving munster to still be in the market for another senior out half.
so while some of ye are saying "nothing new here" well there is, there one option off the table.
It would look like copying giving the Ulster rumours.
I’m off to start a Prendergast rumour.
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://wa.vanillicon.com/v2/ad289898c0c6dda7e667bf900ae26d0c.svg)
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://w6.vanillicon.com/v2/6081e4655739e0887aaf16222f88b015.svg)
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://wd.vanillicon.com/v2/ddb508ca3281bbcc5001177dc26332a1.svg)
